Our first cruise on the Melody. Holiday made very special by the following people:-

Jean kept us on our toes.
Chris was our director
Vivien was just lovely.
And of course Phil walked tall.

Thank you all. Best Wishes
Joan and Bill

This was my first cruise but I found the ship very clean, with cleaning going on continuosly. The buffet food was good with lots of choice. The dinners were very well presented though I thought the portions rather small, just as well there were about 6 courses!
The cabin was comfortable with plenty of storage space. I was at the front of the ship and though there was constant vibration it was not excessive. The staff could not have been more helpful or friendly. They were always willing to practice their English on you.
Though not all the entertainment was to my liking there was always something going on and it was easy enough to avoid anything you wanted to. It was generally of a very good standard.
The photos and trips were overpriced but it was easy enough to organise your own trip and information on this was readily available.
I would be quite happy to sail on this ship again.

I recently returned from a lovely cruise on this ship There were 8 of us on the table and they were all a great crowd of people. I had a fantastic time and would like to thank all of them for a great contribution. The ship was spotless most of the staff were very friendly polite and couldnt do enough for us all. They worked extremely hard but nothing was too much trouble. The waiters were very efficient friendly and fast. The chamber people did an excellent job and felt quite sorry for them having to clear up my mess as my cabin looked as if a bomb had hit it yet they carried on regardless. Some of the reception staff were nice but have to say one or two were a bit aloof and as I work as a receptionist myself it is important to have some sort of personality!! There was plenty of food and great choices with magnificent buffets and the captains cocktail party was fantastic. Some people on the ship were moaning but I cant see any reason to moan and for a three star ship it was great. The entertainment was very good and as everywhere cannot please everyone all of the time. I was very pleased with my cabin on the premier floor and was nicely laid out and spacious. Like all large places it was hard to find ones way round but that would be the same in any large establishment. I wondered if some sort of different coloured lines on the walls or floors would help like they do in hospitals? We visited some lovely places although some of the people felt Tunis could be left off the agenda and a bit more time perhaps in Malta or another place we went to. I had a wonderful time and would like to thank the other people on the table who helped make it so enjoyable-there was one lady who had been on several cruises in her life and knew the ropes and what a wonderful person she was. I love dancing and there were men from the entertainment team who went around and asked women to dance which is great as I hate sitting there with no one to dance with. Thanks to all for a great time.
Christina Brooks astralla@tiscali.co.uk

An absolutely fabulous cruise on a lovely ship with fantastic crew. Everyone from the Captain to the cleaners went out of their way to be helpful. Special mention must be made of Ayesha, the English hostess, who was an absolute star, full of useful information and friendly advice. She was also prepared to sit and chat with us and have a laugh.

The cabins were more than adequate with plenty of storage space and good hangers with a bar, suitable for men's suits, though if ladies prefer the 'clip' type for their skirts it may be worth taking them with you. Cabins were cleaned constantly, with clean sheets provided daily. The chair in the cabin was extremely comfortable. I found the gentle throb of the engines extremely soothing, but if you think it may keep you awake it may be worth investing in some earplugs. Bathrooms were small but the shower was excellent, the lighting was good and it seemed every time you left your cabin your towels were changed. As others have said, fresh fruit and ice were in constant supply. The electric point in my cabin was placed under the TV and took the normal continental adaptor which was OK for my mobile phone.

It is a little confusing to find your way round the ship but you soon discover what a lot of different areas there are so you are always able to find somewhere to your taste. Pools are rather small but I doubt anyone goes on a cruise for a serious swim. Towels are provided for the pool and jaccuzi so there is no need to take your own.

It is a pity that some of cruisers (particularly the Italians) do not treat the crew even a quarter as well as the crew treat us. Without the cleaners, who work incredibly hard, cruising would be a much less pleasant experience, but some people just barge past them when they hold the door open and never think to thank them or even smile, let alone engage in conversation. I actually found the Indonesian and Hawaiian staff had a better grasp of English than the Italian ones and they enjoyed talking to us.

I didn't take any actual excursions, preferring a DIY approach which seemed to work very well. Ayesha was always willing to offer advice and appreciated feedback as to what had worked well. At no time did she try to push the organised trips.

I only saw a bit of the on-board shows which were often not really to my taste. It is obviously difficult to provide things which suit so many nationalities. Various things took place on deck during the day which were sometimes quite amusing.

The food was excellent and plentiful and drinks in the bar were varied and inexpensive. Some of the late-night buffets were incredibly displayed but the queue of Italians fighting to pile their plates up high (even though they left most of it) was not such a pretty sight. It is often best to wait until the melee has stopped and then see if you actually want something.

There were a couple of formal nights, the Captain's do and the Gala Night and it was nice to have the opportunity to dress up. Although it was not mandatory, all of our party put on a good show and it was a shame that some others didn't bother at all. No one was turned away for being improperly dressed however.

Photos are taken constantly and put on display so that you can choose if you want to buy them but there is no pressure to do so. The photographer is actually very good.

I freely admit that the company I was with added greatly to my enjoyment of the whole experience. Juliet, Tiffany, Naomi, Tony, Peter and Phil were absolutely great, as were others who got drawn into our web, such as Carina, Jenny, Doreen and Tom, Nina and her father Clive and the Dutch girls, Deni and her friend whose name I've forgotten.

To summarize, the whole experience was absolutely wonderful and I'm so very pleased to have had the opportunity of cruising with MSC and the Melody. I would recommend the company and the ship to anybody.

Well, what can I say that hasn't already been said? I went on the cruise full of anticipation and some apprehension. After all the stress that had been involved in actually getting the cruise, I couldn't really believe it was happening, but it was!

I flew from Gatwick to Milan with easy-jet and had an overnight stay in a hotel called the Mistral. It was basic but adequate. The next day I was transferred by coach to Genoa. This all went smoothly. The cruise began via a cruise terminal where all the embarcation procedures were handled quickly, politely and efficiently. This set the tone for the whole week as everything was handled in this way. The departure hall was attractively laid out and there was a complimentary welcome drink prior to boarding. I was greeted by maids wearing smart uniforms and white gloves which added to the favourable first impressions I got when I stepped aboard the Melody.

I was shown to my cabin which was on Continental deck. The case was already there. The cabin was plenty big enough and very well appointed. Everything was spotless too.

AS there are several detailed reviews regarding the ship and its facilities, I will be brief. I found the layout of the ship confusing at first, but quickly found my way around as there are deckplans everywhere.

The pool areas were very noisy, too be expected I suppose as it is the summer holidays. However, you could always find a part of the ship that was less noisy and there were plenty of chairs and tables throughout the ship. The bar areas were pleasant and drinks were readily available and reasonably priced.

The information given about excursions etc was very good. The English speaking rep Ayesha was brilliant. Polite, unassuming and always available to answer questions. She attended all events and functions and was really friendly and approachable.

The main Galaxy restaurant was lovely. The service was quick, but not too quick and the food varied and well prepared and presented. Passengers were grouped according to nationality and the company was great. Thanks to Robbie, Esther, Sara, Jenny, Pat, Sarah and Manuel. We had a superb waiter who was the spitting image of Rowan Atkinson! Full of fun and very accommodating. Breakfast and lunch could also be taken on deck in the 2 self-service buffets. There was also afternoon tea and a midnight buffet. There was a choice of 2 sittings for dinner, one at 6.30, one at 9.30. The Gala dinners were very good. The first one included a cocktail/champagne pre-dinner get together with the captain. The second included champagne with the meal and a surprise 'baked-alaska' procession by the chefs!

The service on board was second to none. The cabin staff were particularly good, keeping the cabins spotless. Nothing was too much trouble - tea and coofee was free of charge and brought to the cabin within minutes of ordering.Fresh fruit was provided daily and also ice. All the staff were friendly and polite although the reception staff were a little less so.

I went on 2 excursions: to Pompei, which I recommend; and shopping in Tunis, which I don't. In my opinion, you would be better off doing your own thing in Tunis.
There is ample information about all the excursions delivered to your cabin daily and Ayesha also gives a lot of information too. Maps are provided at each port of call.

Facilities on board are very good. There is a casino/arcade, gym,table tennis, football tables. There is a 'library' consisting of 2 bookcases where you can borrow books. There is an animation team providing non-stop action for those that want it. They do try to persuade you to join in, but not too hard! There seemed to be something for everyone. There is a health/beauty salon - a word of warning here. They are quite pushy and try to get you to have various things done. I signed up for a manicure and pedicure and was initially very disappointed. It was all done very quickly and not very well. However, I complained to the management and they re-did both treatments to my satisfaction.

Tipping is left to your discretion, which I thought was very good. You are given a comment form and enveloppe to give money to whomever you choose to.

All in all the cruise was incredible. I had never heard of MSC before but was really impressed at the effort that was made to ensure that you have a good time. I will never forget the experience on board the Melody

This was my first ever cruise so I had no idea what to expect.

I was lucky to be upgraded to a mini suite on the Premier deck. This, in fact, was very similar to the cabins on Oceanic and Continental deck except I had a superior wooden finish to the furniture and more luxurious curtains and bed covers as well as a nicer floor covering in the bathroom. I also had an opening port hole (more of a window really as it wasn't round!) and I could sit on a ledge with a drink and watch the world go by! I saw some fantastic sunsets until the ship altered course.

The ship ws extremely clean and towels were changed daily as well as the bed linen to start with. However, towards the end of the week, standards slipped slightly and I noticed I kept the same pillow case even though I had spilt some drink on it. Fluffy white dressing gowns are provided. The staff are continually cleaning the ship and dust and wipe every surface imaginable. Shower gel/shampoo is provided, together with soap, shower cap, and a sewing kit. There is a hair dryer.

A bowl of fruit is provided and items replaced as you eat them. The ice bucket is filled in the morning and if it has melted by pm all you need to do is ring room service for some more. You can use the melted water as drinking water as this is not provided free in the room and I am not sure about the tap water in the cabins! The room service is excellent - free tea (including decaf), also coffee, mint tea etc. 24 hours a day. As I was on late sitting to start with for evening meal (9.30pm) I became a bit peckish and ordered items off Room Service Menu a couple of times. For about £2 you can have a small mediterranean salad with olives etc or cheese and dried fruit or a toasted sandwich etc. Everything I ordered from Room Service was excellent.

The staff were extremely helpful and eager to please and remembered from day to day what you ordered at a particular time. They took an interest in you personally - for instance, I mostly ordered a mint tea at bedtime (sometimes 2am!) and as soon as I said my request they knew my room number. Also they carried your food for you and poured drinks etc. in the buffet and restaurant if they saw you were struggling a bit. I do think, however, that the Reception Staff could occasionally be a bit offhand.

One improvement which would have been appreciated would have been a 'Singles Get-together' early on in the cruise. I understand most cruises do this and it would have been nice to recognize others in a similar situation. I did ask at Reception but was met with a blank stare!

In hindsight, I think Ayesha, the English Rep, would have probably arranged this, if asked. Don't miss her informative talks - they are very useful and she could perhaps be approached after her initial introductory talk.

I used the Fitness Centre a couple of times - just to see what a treadmill is like! However, the Centre is unsupervised and there were generally children messing about in there so not conducive to serious use.

I didn't play on the machines/Casino but someone I know went on Melody last year, had one go and won £3000 jackpot! Someone has to be lucky!!

The entertainment (what I saw) was indescribable. The English puppets (more suited to children!) were probably the best but the 'Miss Melody' competition (shades of Butlins!) was the most entertaining.....probably because of the cringing embarrassment felt by the audience, yet you laughed so much because it was just so! I did not go to all the shows so I can't give a rounded view.

We arrived 2 hours early in most ports so as well as going to Pompeii in Naples we managed a quick look round. One of our party was advised by a friendly local to remove her gold necklace. It is not a good place to wander round ....... but DO buy and post any postcards there (you can buy stamps where you purchase cards) because they arrived in UK within 2 days!.

Malta was ok but a lot of the shops were closed while we were there. My favourite places were Ibiza and St. Tropez.

In Ibiza, try and find time to walk through the old town, up to the cathedral, as the view is spectacular. If you do this in the morning, you will pass a small market in a lovely square with lots of cafes and it's a very nice place to take a rest - and a drink and take in the local atmosphere. St.Tropez has some lovely shops and was the place I'd really like to go back to. Be careful if you take one of the 1 hour boat rides round the bay to look at celebrities houses etc. The tour we took was only in French and the only words we could make out were: Rollex, Philharmonic Orchestra, Lady Diana and something about the French Assembly!

It is possible to change dinner sittings (early is 7 pm, late 9.30pm) if you see the Maitre d' but he does tend to group all English speaking nationalities together, hence you may find yourself with Americans or Australian. Also on the excursions, the Dutch tend to come on the English trips and sometimes we were just one or two English people - not that it mattered. There were mostly Italians on board and the entertainment, music etc. was aimed at them. Sometimes it seemed the ship was a bit like a ferry as people were getting on and off at every port. There were a lot of new people in particular who embarked at Malta.

I would definitely sail on the Melody again. I had a great time. The food was excellent and even though I have to avoid wheat there was just so much I could eat there were no problems whatsoever. Vegetarians should have no problem.

I loved the holiday! I would definitely love to go again.

I will write a detailed review of my trip that ended a few days ago, and was most interested to read the one sbmited by AliSue's as she was one of my nightly dinner companions. However, in the meantime, I am attempting to contact another of my delightful dinner companions, Katie, who I understand also contributes to this site. I have spent a considerable amount of time attempting to send Katie some pix of her and the other ladies, but whether I submit them to the email address she gave me in in upper case, lower case, or a combination of both, it just does not go through. So, Katie, kindly email me your correct handle to delboypipes@aol.com and I'll gladly send the glam pix of you and our other dinner companions. Will write my report later.

My first cruise, so no idea what to expect.
The pick up from Milan Linate, coach journey and check in at Genoa all went really smoothly. The first part after check in when you have to book your dinner table for the week, have the chance to purchase a drinks package and then book tours all seemed a bit strange and regimented (which worried the free spirit in me!) but turned out just fine and dandy. The wines were excellent, and the tour tickets were delivered to my cabin very quickly, so all I had to do was get to dinner each night, drink the wine and turn up on time for the three tours I booked - easy.

The group I was with at dinner (hello to the Daily Expressers Jim, Martin, Ron, Kathie, Maggie, David and Frank!!) were very sociable and fun to be with so it made the fact that I was travelling on my own no problem at all; if we chose to be with each other at other times, fine, but we didn't feel the need to group up all the time; there were lots of other things to do and lots of other people to meet of many nationalities.

The ship was clean, the cabin staff were excellent and kept my cabin a happy cabin. The cabin was an inside on Oceanic deck, and I expected TINY but didn't get it; there were two beds, loads of wardrobe space, plenty of drawer storage, and room to swing three cats. The shower was brilliant and was always hot - none of this cold shower stuff just because we were all getting ready at the same time.

The food was great; I could get the salads and healthy foods that I prefer at every meal, and so much choice! It was better than many of the 4 and 5 star hotels I've stayed at. God Bless Luigi, the guy who looked after us at dinner; he usually got things right and was really pleasant to greet every evening. He even made sure my wine was ready and opened each night so that I could start on it right away! (how did he know what I'm like??)

The staff were all very enthusiastic and helpful, although like other reviewers I found the receptionists a bit snooty and offhand (customer service training required). Most of the young staff only speak Italian with a 'hello' level of English, so the answers to some questions were very hit and miss in accuracy! But it IS an Italian ship, with mainly Italian passengers and crew, so expect Italian to be the first language on board. Ayesha, the English hostess is excellent, very friendly and very helpful at all times, so if you need explanations or guidance talk to her.

The entertainment - it took me three nights to get the courage up to endure it as organised entertainment is not my thing, but I'm glad I went. It's a good way to round off the evening after dinner before hitting the bar or going to sleep, and only lasts for 40 minutes. The entertainment team worked hard and generally it was a laugh, especially the magnificent English puppets - Maggie and I could hardly control ourselves we laughed so much, while Frank was just completely bemused!! The puppets are a MUST SEE.

If you go on Melody be prepared to lie down a lot in the sun, reading, whatever...take the opportunity to go ashore and see the places you dock in (in our case Naples - I went up Vesuvius, Malta - Valletta's shops were shut as we docked at siesta time, but still plenty to see, Tunis - I did the Carthage trip, and wish we'd had more time actually at the ruins, Ibiza - an absolute gem; I only had my young cousins' views before I went (clubs, bars, noise) WRONG!! The old town is gorgeous, but I'd recommend an early start up the hill to the cathedral and old town before the heat really kicks in. Last day was at St Tropez; I regret taking the organised Port Grimaud trip (I don't really want to look at rich people's holiday houses and boats, but I didn't realise that's what the 'canal' trip was) and wish I'd walked into the old part of town instead to explore and then to sit in the square and people-watch. The first part of the trip to Ramatouelle was lovely though, so it wasn't all bad. I'll have to go back to St Tropez as it's unfinished business (well that's my excuse).

Overall I really enjoyed the week; I didn't have anything to compare it with so just took it as it was, a very relaxing, enjoyable trip with plenty of 'me time' , good people-watching potential and great holiday companions.

I travelled with a friend but we both occupied separate cabins so this gave us plenty of space, however lets start at the beginning. A very early check in time of 4.30 am meant a late flight the day before departure and a stay in the Terminal. I thought we would be first in the queue but some hardy souls chose to stand in the non existent queue from 3.30 A.M. At 4.30 the queue to check in had 150 people in it but loads of check in staff meant we were checked in within 20 mins. So do not bother queuing, sit down in comfort and wait a bit. the flight was comfortable and with such a short duration, very little food or drink was needed. I am 6 foot 2 inches and there was sufficient legroom and width.
Upon arrival in Malpensa airport we were greeted by representatives of MSC and whisked off to a coach for a 2 hour journey through mainly open fields on a first class motorway system to the port area of Genoa. Here we were directed to the ship check in and our pre labelled baggage was never seen until we were in our cabins. Before we boarded the ship we were asked our Dinner Sitting preferences and were able to get seated together. I do think that this was going to happen any way as they were probably going to sit all the singles together who spoke English with a waiter whose English was excellent.You are able to take advantage of a wine and tour pre booking arrangement if you like and later on in the trip you have a presentation about all the ports of call and recommendations on what to see and do and what not to do.
Every day at about 9 P.M. you get a detailed agenda for the following day telling you what to wear at dinner and where to go to meet your fellow travellers for your excursions and at what time and where everything on board ship is happening. this becomes your onboard Bible for the next 24 hours, after which it is replaced by the next instalment.
Breakfast is a choice of sit down and be served anything you want or queue up for a very short time and pick up anything you want. I did both and the food was the same. the quality was up to the standard expected on this quality of ship and I would compare the food and service to a 4 star hotel in the UK or a 3 or 4 star hotel elsewhere.
I took lunch in the self service area every day so I could be a little picky and always served my own beverage, i.e. tea, as some of the staff charged you for bringing it and some did not. once again food was acceptable in general and very good on a few occasions every lunchtime. I experimented with most of the dishes on display and always found plenty of things I liked.
Dinner was a sumptuous 7 or 8 course affair with service swifter than any restaurant I have ever visited. The speed of the service did not make me feel rushed and we lingered at the table finishing our drinks without any subtle pressure being brought to bear on us to depart. wine by the half carafe is the cheapest and was, after being ordered on the first night, waiting for me each night thereafter. A jug of water is free , a bottle is charged for. I drank the jugs and had no ill effects.
Midnight buffets took place at 12.15 to allow people to take pictures of the food. This was often a very amusing pastime as you could sit with a drink and study the scores of people videoing the Strawberry Cream Cake. I just wish one of the cakes would have started to move.
After saying all that I partook in 2 of the 7 buffets and they were delicious.
Next up comes the entertainment !!!!!
This has to come into a category of its own.
After spending the last 30 years watching all that the Edinburgh Fringe Festival had to throw at me, good bad and hopeless, I found new levels of entertainment that sank below the worst and soared above the best and this was every act. My particular favourite was a juggler who couldn't juggle but who let us watch him practice all his tricks half a dozen times before he managed to complete the exercise, it's just a pity that all the audience didn't see it that way as there was an awful lot of embarrassed talk during his repeated failures. All in all the entertainment was worth going to as it is free and you can have a talk to new found friends between acts.
Now to the ship. The Melody is a clean, well staffed hotel with rooms that, as a standard are better than most. the crew are helpful and you must seek out Ayesha the English hostess as she will give you all the help and info you will ever need. The cabin staff must have been in and out of my room all the time because every time I went back my towels had been changed and my mess tidied up. Never did anyone enter my room when I was in it. The staff put a do not disturb notice on your door while you are asleep and make no attempt to try your door until you change that sign to please make up room. There is adequate soap and shampoo, with plentiful supplies of hot, high pressure water. It follows then that you can have cold low pressure water too.
Room service is free for tea and orange and very quick. the waiters are also very polite and show an interest in you as a person. I will leave it to your imagination why they are so attentive.
Guidance was given on tipping and it was emphasised that 35 Euros is a guide per person for the trip not a minimum or maximum.
The excursions are a matter of individual taste. Some went ashore themselves and some took the tours. You should research the places to visit yourself and make up your own mind but I did the Naples city tour and only found out later that I could have seen more on an open topped bus tour that was being offered by the local company as you stepped of the ship. Malta was on a siesta when the ship lands so it is a bit quiet. Carthage is interesting but it is not Athens. I did not regret going on the excursion. Ibitha is much quieter than I expected, which I was pleased about and San Tropez is laid back. I agree with Lesleys appraisal of the San Trop tour.
All in all a great trip made better by the entertaining crowd we ended up with. even if I had paid the price paid by the majority of the cruisers I could not have grumbled. But a cabin on the Continental deck for £10 with single occupancy is a deal that I feel will never be repeated.

I missed a few bits out of previous review - Van has not been around to edit for a couple of weeks,, so have inserted missing paragraphs here as a separate review instead:-

One improvement which would have been appreciated would have been a 'Singles Get-together' early on in the cruise. I understand most cruises do this and it would have been nice to recognize others in a similar situation. I did ask at Reception but was met with a blank stare!

In hindsight, I think Ayesha, the English Rep, would have probably arranged this, if asked. Don't miss her informative talks - they are very useful and she could perhaps be approached after her initial introductory talk, giving everyone more time to get to know each other.

I used the Fitness Centre a couple of times - just to see what a treadmill is like! However, it is unsupervised and there were generally children messing about in there so not conducive to serious use.

I didn't play on the machines/Casino but someone I know went on the Melody last year, had one go and won £3000 jackpot! Could be you!!

Lots of photos are taken and displayed en route to restaurants as well as next to casino - they are expensive, but some seemed to be reduced in price on the last day, so it may be worth waiting till then if you wish to purchase any.

The shop on board sells only a very limited stock of essential toiletries. I needed batteries for my camera and was unable to buy any until I got to Tunis - very cheap in the Medina, but had a job to find the one shop that sold them! One of my best buys was saffron which was also extremely cheap and I wish I'd brought back more.

I think that's everything now! Just one thing to be aware of, most shops in all the ports of call are reluctant to accept €50 notes, not because they don't have the change but because of possible forgeries.